The Kinship of Broken Hearts
by Gemini14
Summary: A little while after the events of the third movie, Sango decides to return to the Taijiya Village alone to sort out her feelings of grief. When someone else arrives there, in need of help, can she turn to him for solace? And can he do the same with her?
1. Part One

The Kinship of Broken Hearts

It had been almost two full years, since the slaughter of her village. Sango sighed as she rode on the back of her nekomatta, Kirara. At her request, she'd left Inu-Yasha, Miroku, Kagome and Shippou behind to spend some time alone in the empty village; alone to grieve for what was lost. She looked up when Kirara made a questioning noise in the back of her throat and glanced back at her with concerned orange eyes.

"I'm all right, Kirara. No need to worry." Sango reassured; smiling somewhat when the feline youkai gave her what seemed to be a dubious look, before returning her attention to where she was going.

"I thank you for your concern, though." Sango murmured, keeping her gaze straight ahead as the palisade for the village came into view. Not hesitating for a moment, nekomatta and taijiya flew over the wooden walls and landed in the center of the village. As Sango dismounted, she felt a small, gentle breeze blow past her; almost as though her family was welcoming her home, after being away for so long.

"I'm home." Sango whispered, as her mind brought to the fore the faces of those who were now buried within the walls. She turned when Kirara (who was now in her smaller form) mewed and gave her a questioning look.

"I'm okay. Are you hungry?" Sango asked, getting a nod from the nekomatta as a response.

"I'll see what I can cook up, then." Sango stated, as she started to enter one of the huts with the intent of getting some cooking done before night fell. Taking that as her cue to go and get some meat for their meal, Kirara reassumed her larger form and took off towards the woods; not realizing that something else other than just regular animals was out there…….

…………………………………

It was official…..he hated life in general. With a grace only the nobility of either the humans or youkai had, he bit back the curses that threatened to spill from his mouth along with the blood from a punctured and collapsed lung. Inwardly, he cursed himself for not having paid closer attention when the miko (an overzealous and somewhat strong miko) had come upon him when he'd been finishing a patrol of the area. Numerous arrows were fired, and he'd managed to avoid all but three. One was buried deep in his right shoulder, numbing it from the site of the wound, all the way to the fingers. Another had penetrated his chest armor on his right side, collapsing a lung as it went. The third had punctured the armor covering his stomach; and it was the lethal combination of these three injuries that had forced him into a rather disgraceful retreat.

"_Of all the indignities_….._to die out here like this_…._by some wench's arrow_…." Sesshomaru's mind snarled, as he struggled to sit up a bit further; only managing to aggravate his injuries and vomit up blood from his injured stomach, instead. When he was finally able to stop, he sat back against the trunk of the tree he collapsed under earlier and gazed blearily up; growling softly under his breath when he found that tears had formed in his eyes in response to the pain.

"_This Sesshomaru does not cry_….._and will not cry_….._Weeping while in pain is for humans._" Sesshomaru thought, angrily, yet was unable to prevent the tears that had formed from flowing down his face.

"_Oh, but it hurts, though._" One part of Sesshomaru's mind moaned, as the taiyoukai closed his eyes and gritted his teeth; trying his hardest to ward off the agony. What would others say of him, if they saw him now? The great Taiyoukai of the West, weeping from a few arrow wounds? He knew his peers would probably revel in the sight, and most lesser youkai would be overjoyed with the chance to finally kill him. Then, against his will, his mind brought forth the images of Inu-Yasha and his companions. While it was true that Inu-Yasha didn't particularly like him (and the feeling was mutual) there had been a few occasions in the past where the hanyou had actually looked at him with some concern. And then the face of that strange young girl came to him; what was her name? Kagome? Sesshomaru could almost see the look of worry and concern gracing her childish features. And then there was the houshi with the hole in his hand. His face also bore a look of concern, but it was tinged with caution. The forth human, the taijiya, was looking as worried as her companions, while the baby kitsune and the nekomatta shared the humans' emotions.

"_Wonder if they truly would care_….._and why I am even worried that they won't_…." Sesshomaru mused, as he struggled to breathe against the fiery pain in his chest. His body was trying to heal, but the purifying power in the arrows were preventing it and making the pain even worse. He wasn't even aware that he was no longer alone until he felt a coarse tongue gently lick the tears from the left side of his face. Startled, but keeping himself from expressing any surprise, he looked up and found himself face to face with the very nekomatta he'd seen accompanying his brother's group!

"You……" Sesshomaru whispered, coughing a little when the effort of speaking irritated his throat and lung. With a soft growl, the nekomatta tilted her head to one side, then cautiously sniffed one of the arrows; returning her gaze to his face and giving him a questioning look.

"Your strange miko…..didn't do this……" Sesshomaru added, hoarsely, watching in some surprise when the feline gently rubbed her face against the right side of his, ridding it of the last few tears while doing so.

"Thank you……" Sesshomaru murmured, stunned by what the nekomatta did next. Ever so carefully, the feline youkai got as close as she could get to him without hurting him, lay down, and motioned towards her back with her head.

"Are you trying…..to help me?" Sesshomaru asked, getting a nod from the other youkai as a response. Slowly and painfully, Sesshomaru moved from what would have been his death site and laid himself upon the strong back of the nekomatta. He gripped her fur weakly when she uttered a sound in her throat that sounded like her version of 'Are you ready?'

"_This is going to be humiliating_….._but I need help right now_….._I probably will not survive on my own, this time._" Sesshomaru thought, holding on as well as he could when the nekomatta took flight, leaving only bloodstains on the forest floor to prove that he'd even been there at all.

……………………………………

"Kirara! Where are you? Kirara!" Sango called, trying to get the attention of her feline partner. It was dusk now; and her partner was late in returning.

"Must have gone a little further afield than I thought." Sango thought, shrugging a little when she remembered that Kirara was a cat, after all; and even she was prone to temperamental moments.

"_Just give her some time. She'll return._" Sango mused, pushing aside her fears that the nekomatta had been possessed again by some mainland youkai. Just as she was turning around to go back inside, Sango perked up when she heard Kirara's roar, and smiled when the fire-cat landed in front of her.

"I'm glad you're okay, Kirara. Did you have some trouble while hunting?" Sango asked, jumping back when a familiar male voice answered her.

"No…..she was interrupted…." The voice gasped, from the back of the nekomatta. A chill then ran down Sango's spine.

"Sesshomaru……?" Sango said, as she cautiously approached and looked at the youkai whom, she could now see, was lying on Kirara's strong back. She gasped when she saw what kind of shape the taiyoukai was in.

"Kirara, bring him inside." Sango commanded, keeping her voice soft so she wouldn't hurt ears she knew were now overly sensitive. Obediently, Kirara followed her partner into the dwelling, making certain to crouch a little as she entered so Sesshomaru would not be knocked off of her back. When Sango had found an old futon and some extra blankets, she helped Sesshomaru lie down on them and got a better look at his wounds while doing so.

"The arrows in your shoulder and stomach have gone all the way through……And the one in your chest just about went that far. Whoever did this was either a damn good shot, or had an unfair advantage as far as distance was concerned." Sango murmured, noticing the way Sesshomaru cringed when she made physical contact with him.

"That doesn't matter now…..Can you remove them?" Sesshomaru asked, impatiently, as sweat beaded on his brow.

"I don't know. I can try, but I have the suspicion that only a miko can remove them without doing further damage." Sango replied, honestly.

"I thought as much……." Sesshomaru hissed. He looked up when Sango stood up and walked to the corner where her belongings were, watched as she removed something from her travelling bag, and returned to his side.

"I'm going to attempt it. Bite down on this, Sesshomaru-sama. I don't want you to accidentally bite your own tongue off while I am doing this." Sango said, grimly.

"I could do without your sarcasm, taijiya." Sesshomaru said, dryly, eyeing the wrist-guard she held before him with an arched eyebrow and some disdain. Sango only smirked.

"Think what you will, but this is definitely going to hurt. I'd use this, if I were you." Sango said, warning the taiyoukai of what was to come.

"Fine then." Sesshomaru relented, with a sigh. A sigh that was quickly cut off by another ragged cough. Without another word, Sango got right to work. The first arrow she removed was the one in Sesshomaru's stomach; eliciting a pained cry from him as she pulled the bloodied arrow the rest of the way through his abdomen. She shuddered when she heard him gag, but continued pulling until the arrow was free. Then she turned to the arrow protruding from his chest. As carefully as she could, she freed that arrow as well; looking somewhat relieved when she heard the lung re-inflate shortly afterwards. The last arrow she removed was the one in his shoulder, allowing the feeling to return to the limb. Throughout it all, Sesshomaru had clenched his teeth around the wrist-guard; secretly glad that the taijiya had allowed him to use it in that way.

"_The pain would have been enough to break my fangs! I never knew arrow wounds could be so painful!_" Sesshomaru thought, his breathing sounding harsh even to his own ears.

"Sesshomaru-sama? Can you hear me?" Sango asked, getting a weak nod in response.

"I'm going to clean and bind your wounds now. Hold still." Sango said, as she started removing his armor and lowered his bloodstained gi so she could see his wounds. He flinched when a cloth soaked in poultice touched the wound in his stomach, and wrinkled his nose in distaste when the smell reached his nose.

"Can you feel any lingering power from the arrows?" Sango questioned, her voice low and even.

"No….." Sesshomaru replied, his voice a hoarse whisper, compared to what it normally sounded like.

"Good. You'll be able to recover from these injuries, then. That was what I was originally concerned about. If there had been any residual power from the arrows, then there could have been trouble." Sango said, as she finished cleaning the stomach wound and the started winding the bandages around his abdomen. She got no response to that comment, but she could tell that the taiyoukai was listening. As she got started on tending to the other wounds she could tell that exhaustion was starting to set in on the youkai before her. His eyelids were drooping, and his breathing was starting to even out; signaling sleep was not long in coming.

"I'm almost done. Stay awake for just a little bit longer." Sango murmured, arching an eyebrow when Sesshomaru gave her a semblance of his usual arrogant attitude.

"This Sesshomaru does not sleep." Sesshomaru argued, irritated that instead of sounding imposing, he sounded more like a surly child that was arguing with his parent.

"Maybe not in a normal circumstance, but you'd better sleep tonight and the next couple of nights. Considering how much blood you've lost, you're going to need all the rest you can get." Sango pointed out, not even daring to smirk when Sesshomaru uttered a growl in response to that.

"You are certainly an irritating wench." Sesshomaru grumbled.

"I shall take that as a compliment." Sango retorted, then said, as she looked at Kirara, "Keep him warm, Kirara." With a snort that sounded suspiciously like one of Inu-Yasha's 'Feh's', Sesshomaru allowed the nekomatta to lie down behind him (willingly making herself into a living throw-pillow), and watched as she draped both of her tails across his lap. With a sigh, Sesshomaru allowed himself to relax a little bit, quietly and reluctantly admitting to himself that Sango was right.

"For what it is worth, taijiya…..thank you." Sesshomaru muttered, tiredly resigning himself to the fact that he was going to be stuck there for the next couple of days. It was a few moments before Sango responded, but when she did, he was a bit surprised by how respectful she was toward him.

"You're welcome, Sesshomaru-sama." Sango quietly replied. And a somewhat silent, yet strangely comfortable, companionship began in the silent town amidst the warm glow of a fire between the two completely different individuals.


	2. Part Two

The sun was just beginning to paint the skies in multi-colored hues of red and violet when Sesshomaru roused up. For a moment, disorientation reigned supreme in his tired mind. Where was he? And why was he within a human dwelling? The latter thought caused a momentary surge of what would have been panic in any other youkai, but it was quickly quelled when he heard a rumbling growl and a concerned pair of fiery orange eyes entered his line of sight.

"Are you awake, Sesshomaru-sama?" the taijiya's voice asked, as she came into view.

"I am now…..How long have I slept?" Sesshomaru questioned, in turn.

"Not long enough. You slept all last night, but in the state you're in, it won't be enough to return your full strength." Sango answered, getting an irritated sigh from Sesshomaru in response to that.

"I thought so." Sesshomaru mumbled, sucking in a breath when he tried to sit up a little bit straighter. He could tell that Sango was gazing at him with concern on her pretty features, but was a bit relieved that she wasn't attempting to help him sit up without his permission.

"_She knows her place._" Sesshomaru mused, with a small amount of satisfaction.

"Do you think you can handle eating something?" Sango asked, watching him carefully; making sure he didn't accidentally tear his stomach wound open again. Sesshomaru's face, for the briefest of moments, took on a slight greenish tinge, before he banished that and shook his head.

"Not yet…..The wound isn't far enough along in healing." Sesshomaru replied, his face even paler than it had been before.

"I see….I'll just go outside and eat my breakfast, then. I don't want the smell to make you sick." Sango said, considering the taiyoukai's now-fragile health over her own comfort and departing to go outside and eat. With another growl of frustration at his own weakness, Sesshomaru slowly lay back down, settling his head against the nekomatta's side as he did so. In that moment, a thought occurred to him.

"Taijiya, why are you helping me? I thought it was your way of life to kill youkai." Sesshomaru said, speaking in Sango's general direction.

"It wouldn't have been fair to cut you down while you are injured….Besides, you haven't harmed any humans lately, have you?" Sango asked, as her face appeared from around the doorjamb, and she peered curiously at him. He gave her a deadpan look.

"I avoid humans and their settlements when able, and, since Rin travels with me, I don't kill humans in front of her." Sesshomaru replied, feeling a bit irked when Sango gave him a relieved smile.

"Good." Sango said, voicing her relief as she released a sigh as well.

"There is yet another reason you helped me, is there not?" Sesshomaru again asked; determined to get all of the answers while he could.

"Well…..I don't mean to be insulting when I say this…..but in some ways you remind me of Inu-Yasha." Sango admitted, looking up when Sesshomaru bristled at the thought.

"In what way?" Sesshomaru questioned, a bit angrily.

"You both share some physical features, like your hair and eyes……and then there's your stubbornness…..But I guess the most important thing is your desire to guard those under your protection…." Sango said, aware that she was getting more than just an irritated glare from the wounded youkai behind her.

"And you're saying that those are your reasons for aiding me?" Sesshomaru growled. Sango nodded.

"Hai. And…." Sango trailed off when another, more sobering thought, crossed her mind.

"And what?" Sesshomaru prompted, having caught the melancholy air in the woman's voice even before she herself did.

"I saw something in your eyes last night, Sesshomaru-sama. A sadness…..almost grief." Sango murmured, as she set aside her bowl, stood, and walked back into the dwelling.

"Sadness? Grief? What are you talking about, taijiya?" Sesshomaru asked, as he watched her take a seat across from him.

"I don't know, exactly……There was just something in your eyes that made me think you were mourning a loss….Remembering someone dear to you. That's all." Sango murmured, trying her best to explain what she had seen only briefly the previous night. She could remember the look in the taiyoukai's eyes when she'd bravely draped her extra blanket over him; the soft, sad look he had allowed to escape when he thought she wasn't paying attention.

"You notice everything, don't you, taijiya?" Sesshomaru asked, knowing that there was no way now to deny that she had seen the rare show of emotion on his part.

"It's part of what I have been trained to do from early childhood; pay close attention to my surroundings. Do you want to talk about what's bothering you?" Sango asked, calmly.

"Nothing bothers this Sesshomaru." Sesshomaru retorted, stubbornly. Sango only arched an eyebrow and gave him a skeptical look.

"If you say so." Sango said, letting the matter drop, for the time being.

………………………………….

"_Sesshomaru, do you have someone to protect?_" a strong, yet sad, male voice asked, echoing eerily within the mind of a sleeping taiyoukai.

"_This Sesshomaru has no one to protect_…….._since those I have wanted to protect are long dead._" Sesshomaru replied, bitterly. He could remember quite clearly the night his father, Inu-Taisho, had died; and it had haunted him for a little over two-hundred years now. Why hadn't he given up his arrogance to help his only parent just once? Why hadn't he insisted upon going, putting aside his hatred of humans just that one time? Why? Why?

"_Would Father still be alive today, if I had gone with him? If he had given me the Tenseiga that night, could I have healed his wounds? Saved him from death?_" Sesshomaru wondered, as his mind slowly drifted from slumber to wakefulness. The first sensation he could feel was that someone now ran a soft hand across his face; brushing away more tears that had escaped his eyes. As he became even more aware, he realized that his head now rested on someone's lap, and that that someone was humming softly under her breath.

"_Such a gentle melody_….._I haven't heard the like since before Mother died_…." Sesshomaru thought, as he turned his head slightly and breathed a sigh; allowing himself to drift back into sleep and banishing his regrets for the time being.

…………………………………….

Sango could tell that something was bothering the taiyoukai. As she watched him sleep, she could sense that memories were playing themselves out in his dreams, since the regret-filled expression had returned to his handsome face.

"_What is it that is troubling him?_" Sango wondered, as she stood up from her place beside the fire and carefully approached the sleeping youkai. He didn't awaken at her approach; signaling that he was in deep slumber.

"This Sesshomaru…..has no one to protect……since those I have wanted to protect….are long dead…." Sesshomaru muttered, under his breath, as tears started flowing from under his closed eyes. Without even realizing what she was doing, Sango closed the short distance between herself and the youkai, sat down, gently lifted his head and shoulders, and placed them on her lap. Then, in an effort to comfort him, she started humming a song she remembered hearing her mother sing when she and Kohaku had been much smaller. She continued doing this as she brushed the tears away, her heart going out to the sad man that was the Taiyoukai of the Western Lands.

"_He must be thinking about his father_…._I know how he must feel._" Sango mused, as she remembered what had happened at Naraku's castle only two years prior. She stiffened slightly when she felt him almost rouse up, then relaxed when he settled back into slumber again.

"_I don't know what I would do if he woke up while I have his head on my lap._" Sango thought, looking up when Kirara walked back in from outside and giving her a surprised look as she did so.

"Don't worry, Kirara. I haven't lost my mind." Sango said, trying to reassure her feline friend, and herself, as she said that.

"_At least, I don't think so_……" Sango added, silently, as she continued the song where she left off, and as a contented look appeared on the taiyoukai's usually stoic features

Author's Note!

Writer's block has struck again! I am starting to run out of ideas for this fic, so I need some help. Suggestions are most welcome! Thanks!

Gemini14


	3. Part Three

Part Three

There was something about birdsong that could prompt even the most exhausted soul to emerge from his bedchamber, and take a renewed look at the world around him. Sesshomaru allowed one delicately pointed ear to twitch slightly when the sounds reached him, yet remained where he was laying to allow the sun to warm him before he roused up completely.

"_And thus starts my fifth day here, in this empty village_..._The wounds from that thrice-damned miko are healing well_..._and I suppose I owe the taijiya some debt of gratitude for that._" Sesshomaru thought, grudgingly, as he slowly sat up, and took a good look around. Faintly, he could hear the sound of Sango's Hiraikotsu flying through the air, and briefly wondered why she was so active this early in the morning.

"Preparing for a hunt, Taijiya?" Sesshomaru questioned, as he emerged from the hut; secretly impressed by the human girl's strength when it came to how she handled her weapon.

"Not really. How are you feeling this morning?" Sango in turn asked, as the Taiyoukai watched her approach.

"Almost ready to leave. The wounds have almost completely healed." Sesshomaru stated, before silently adding, "_Thanks to the prompt attention you had given them._"

"Good to hear." Sango said, with a slight smile, as Kirara (in her smaller form) trotted over to him and rubbed up against his legs.

"Greetings to you as well." Sesshomaru quietly said, as the nekomatta jumped onto his left shoulder; getting a contented coo from her as he rubbed her ears with his remaining hand.

"She sure has taken to you, Sesshomaru-sama. I wonder why?" Sango murmured, thoughtfully, as she watched the interaction between the two youkai.

"No idea..." Sesshomaru muttered, smirking slightly when Kirara batted gently at his ear with her paw when he stopped petting her; trying to get his attention back onto her again.

"Anyway...I was just wondering...What brought you to these parts to begin with, Sesshomaru-sama?" Sango asked, noticing when the Taiyoukai's expression changed from vaguely amused (by Kirara's attempts at getting attention) to concerned and slightly annoyed.

"Word had reached my ears from the east that a new kind of youkai has arrived...I was on my way to the Eastern Lands to answer a summons from the Taiyoukai there." Sesshomaru murmured, as he watched Sango's face for any signs of interest. He wasn't disappointed.

"They must've come from the mainland...I just hope that they aren't any of Hyoga or Menomaru's kin." Sango said, her expression darkening when she thought of how close she'd come to actually losing Kirara to them.

"One can certainly hope, Taijiya...But any youkai from the mainland means trouble. Even my own father had had some difficulty subduing those that came here." Sesshomaru muttered.

"Then, if you don't mind my presence, I will come along with you." Sango offered, getting a slight look of surprise from the Taiyoukai of the West for that.

"What about the hanyou, the houshi, and that odd miko you were traveling with? Weren't you going to rejoin them at some point?" Sesshomaru questioned. To his added consternation, he was answered by a solemn look from the young woman.

"I almost lost my best friend to youkai such as those...and it doesn't help to ease my fears and concerns when more show up. Besides, I need to see how much of a threat they will truly be; and facing them is the only way to do it." Sango murmured, boldly.

"So I see...Very well. You may come along." Sesshomaru replied; secretly pleased that the girl was so willing to fight for those she considered her closest friends.

"Arigato, Sesshomaru-sama." Sango said, as the youkai lord started walking towards the gate of the village. Sango looked down when Kirara uttered a questioning mew; smiling when she saw the tilted head and vaguely confused look in those wide orange eyes.

"Don't worry, Kirara. I'm sure we'll meet up with them again, at some point." Sango said, reassuring the feline youkai with those words. Sesshomaru half-turned when he heard Kirara roar, and watched when Sango deftly jumped onto the nekomatta's back, and rode over to him.

"It'll be quicker to find your companions if we ride." Sango said, answering the unspoken question.

"It goes without saying." Sesshomaru stated, as he gracefully alighted behind her, and the nekomatta took off. It didn't take the Taiyoukai long to locate his own companions' scents; within just two miles of the Taijiya Village, he spotted Jaken, Rin, and Ah-Un heading towards it.

"They are just below us." Sesshomaru said, quietly. With a nod, Sango motioned for Kirara to land; a direction the feline demon agreed to, without question.

Vvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

Jaken let out a surprised yelp, when something flew overhead, narrowly missing his dark hat as it went.

"Jaken-sama! Daijobu?" Rin asked, concernedly, from Ah-Un's back.

"I'm perfectly all right, you dratted girl!" Jaken snapped, irritably, as he looked away from her, and at the thing that had flown so close to him. His mouth dropped open when he saw the regal and familiar figure of his master strolling casually over to them; his face as expressionless as always...but his eyes glinting ever so slightly with mirth.

"M-milord! It is such a relief to see that you are all right! Where in the world have you been?" Jaken questioned; wisely going silent when Sesshomaru gave him a glare that even Inu-Yasha would have been hard put to match.

"None of your concern, Jaken." Sesshomaru replied, then turned and looked back over his shoulder at the other newcomer. Once again, shock adorned the green imp's visage; not only was this person approaching them a human, but she was one of the humans that normally accompanied Inu-Yasha!

"What's she doing here?.!" Jaken shouted, not truly believing what he was seeing.

"I asked your lord's permission to accompany him to the East. It is out of concern for Kirara, first and foremost, that I will be traveling with you." the woman stated, in a tone as calm as the one Sesshomaru had used just moments before.

"Wow! So you're coming with us?" Rin asked, gleefully. The woman smiled and nodded.

"Hai." she replied, amiably. She chuckled when Rin let out a whoop, and started cheerfully chattering away.

"_She reminds me of a female Shippou_..." Sango mused, as the exuberant little girl skipped alongside them, and as Sesshomaru started leading the way down the path; an uncertain future opening itself before them, as they headed away from the empty village.

Vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

_**Author's Note!**_

_**There wasn't a whole lot more I could add to this chapter, so gomen about it being so short! (I am in need of some ideas, minna! What sort of youkai would live in the Eastern Lands? What kind of youkai should it's lord be? What should his name be? **__**Any**__** ideas would be most welcome!). Also, should I bring Inu-Yasha and the rest in sometime later? Please review and let me know, okay? Thanks for reading!**_

_**Gemini14**_


	4. Part Four

Part Four

It took several days to reach the border of the Eastern Lands; days that were surprisingly full of activity, along with traveling. Despite the initial nervousness on her part to joining Sesshomaru's group, Sango found herself actually enjoying it!

"_As much as I hate to admit it_….._It's actually nice to have some time away from Miroku, for a change._" Sango mused, then allowed a rueful smile to cross her face at her next thought, "_But I'm sure poor Kagome-chan is at her wits' end, by now! Having to deal with a loud-mouthed, jealous hanyou, and a lecherous houshi on her own must be extremely annoying!_"

"Something has amused you, Taijiya." Sesshomaru quietly observed, from just beside her. Jumping slightly in surprise, Sango glanced at him with at first a hint of confusion on her face, and then shook her head; smiling as she did so.

"Just thinking of my friends, that's all. I'm sure Inu-Yasha and Houshi-sama are driving Kagome-chan crazy, by now." Sango replied, honestly.

"The hanyou alone is enough to drive anyone mad." Sesshomaru muttered, moodily (yet sounding like any typical elder sibling, despite himself).

"I'm sure Kagome-chan will probably agree with you, after everything is said and done, Sesshomaru-sama." Sango agreed, wholeheartedly. They both looked aside when they heard Rin call out to them.

"Sesshomaru-sama! Sango-sama! There's some flowers in this meadow! I'm gonna go pick some!" Rin chirped, as she dashed off in that direction, with a dismayed Jaken on her heels.

"Be careful, you two! Don't wander too far, Rin-chan!" Sango called after them, then looked down at Kirara and nodded. With an enthusiastic mew, the nekomatta took off after the child and imp.

"It's surprising to see how well you and that nekomatta work together." Sesshomaru admitted, quietly; hinting at the question he'd wanted to ask since he'd first encountered Sango within Inu-Yasha's group.

"We've been side by side since I was about Rin-chan's age, and she's one of my closest friends. In reality, she's all I have left, so I couldn't just leave her in their clutches." Sango replied; her words getting a thoughtful nod from the Taiyoukai. Yet, before any more words could be spoken, they both heard Rin utter a frightened yelp, and then Kirara's fierce roar.

"Rin-chan!" Sango shouted, as she raced towards the imperiled child, with Sesshomaru taking up the lead a few moments later. What the saw when they crested the hill was like a nightmare reliving itself in front of Sango's eyes; a huge scorpion now stood menacingly above the frightened child, before Kirara quickly whirled around, grabbed Rin by the back of her kimono (as well as a protesting Jaken) and rushed towards Sesshomaru.

"Hiraikotsu!" Sango shouted, fiercely; sending the boomerang soaring at the attacking youkai. It uttered an ear-piercing screech when the weapon cut off one of its' pincers, then it swung upwards to try and catch Sesshomaru when he thrust into it with the Tokijin. He allowed himself a slight yelp when the barbed stinger buried itself in his side; breaking the breastplate and impaling him before he could blink.

"Sesshomaru-sama!" Jaken and Rin cried, in horror, before he managed to tear the stinger out and continue fighting.

"Get down!" Sango warned, then directed the Hiraikotsu to fly straight through the scorpion's middle.

"Does this creature have any shards in it?" Sesshomaru asked; shouting in order to be heard over the deafening racket the youkai was raising.

"Not that I can tell, Sesshomaru-sama!" Sango replied, then added, "Try hitting its' heart with the Tokijin! It might work!" With barely a nod to prove that he'd heard her, Sesshomaru raced towards the scorpion again, and this time buried the Tokijin in it to the hilt. It was with that blow that the scorpion finally uttered a dying scream, and crumbled.

"Whew….That was too close for comfort." Sango muttered, then glanced at Sesshomaru, "Daijobu desu ka?"

"This Sesshomaru will survive. It's only a minor wound." Sesshomaru stated, even as a little blood dripped onto his sash from the hole in his side.

"What about you two?" Sango questioned; wisely deciding against questioning Sesshomaru further about his injury, and turning her attention to Rin and Jaken as she said that.

"We're all right. Aren't we, Jaken-sama?" Rin chirped; seeming completely unfazed by the brush with death that had just passed them by.

"Of course we are, you dratted girl! Sesshomaru-sama can't be defeated by a mere bug!" Jaken spat, irritably. Yet, they all turned to look when a stately voice addressed them.

"You took care of that beast quite quickly. I suppose I should expect nothing less of the great Taiyoukai of the Western Province." A male voice stated, as its' owner strode over to them.

"Tekkenmaru-taisho." Sesshomaru greeted, with his usual unflappable calm. Trying her best not to stare, Sango took in the appearance of this Taiyoukai; he was a pale-skinned, youthful fellow with bright blue, cat-slitted eyes. Long, blue-grey hair flowed from his topknot, and blew gently in the breeze. His clothing and armor were ornate, clearly indicating his high station in youkai hierarchy. Even so, she could also very easily see the strain and worry in his eyes.

"I had begun to think you would never arrive, Sesshomaru-taisho." Tekkenmaru murmured, his relief that they were in his lands readily seen and heard.

"I was waylaid for but a few days….Has the situation deteriorated that much?" Sesshomaru questioned. This got a grim nod from the Eastern Taiyoukai for an answer.

"Hai. It almost seems that an invasion force is just beyond the horizon….So many have already appeared here, that my vanguard can no longer keep up with them." Tekkenmaru said, tiredly.

"I see….You do not mind if I bring my companions along with me, do you?" Sesshomaru asked, even though his expression told the other lord not to argue the point. Tekkenmaru then glanced at them.

"They will be as welcome as you are, Sesshomaru-taisho. I hold no ill will towards humans and respect your late father's stand in such matters….I will personally see to it that no one else in my court raises a hand against them." Tekkenmaru promised. Pleased with this answer, Sesshomaru then nodded to Sango.

"This young woman here is a Taijiya who has had experience fighting mainland youkai. Her knowledge could prove useful, in the long run." Sesshomaru said, earning himself a surprised look from Sango as a result; he was giving her the right to act as an advisor! Then she bowed respectfully to the two lords.

"I'll gladly offer what advice I can, and can only hope that the information can be used to help stop those youkai from taking over." Sango said, agreeably.

"Your services will be most appreciated, Taijiya." Tekkenmaru murmured, before turning and nodding to someone that was approaching them with another two-headed dragon.

"_This is going to be interesting_….." Sango mused, as she got astride Kirara and followed when they began to move again; staying as close as she could to the two Taiyoukai, in case Tekkenmaru had anything more to say to her.

……………………

Inu-Yasha was grumbling vehemently under his breath, as he led the way to the Taijiya Village. His mood had not been good, since he had picked up on Sesshomaru's scent, and it was getting worse the closer he got to the empty village.

"Inu-Yasha! Wait up! Wait for us!" Kagome shouted; sighing in annoyance when she was ignored by the stubborn hanyou.

"I wonder if he's actually worried about Sango, or if he just wants to throttle Sesshomaru?" Shippou muttered, as he rode in the bicycle basket; looking back when Kagome again sighed.

"No telling…..But didn't you two also smell blood where Sesshomaru's scent had been the strongest?" Kagome asked, a little concernedly. Shippou nodded.

"He was hurt, and must've gone to the Village to get help." Shippou replied, looking aside when Inu-Yasha snorted in contempt of that idea.

"Feh! As though that stubborn bastard would ever get help from a human!" Inu-Yasha retorted.

"And yet, that is what seems to have happened. Otherwise, why would Kirara have helped him, as well?" Miroku asked; finally breaking his unusual silence, and giving the irritated hanyou a questioning look. Inu-Yasha only shrugged.

"Hell if I know." Inu-Yasha muttered, as genuine worry settled in his heart for the tough young woman. What in the world had happened to her, and why wasn't he picking up on her scent, even as close as he was to the village? And what did Sesshomaru have to do with all this?

Author's Note!

Not a very long chapter, I know, but I'm trying to get back into this story again! Hope it wasn't too bad!

Gemini14


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